'Jeopardy!' host Mike Richards apologizes for past comments he made about women on a podcast

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Mike Richards issued an apology over past inappropriate comments made on a podcast he previously hosted that resurfaced in the wake of his newly announced "Jeopardy!" hosting gig.

Richards hosted "The Randumb Show" from 2013 to 2014 while he was working at "The Price is Right." During his time on the show, he made derogatory comments about women, people with mental disabilities, little people and the poor.

In a statement issued to Fox News following the resurfaced comments, Richards apologized for his past attempts at being "provocative" and vowed to do better in the future. 

"It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago," Richards, 46, said in a statement to the outlet. "Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry."

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Mike Richards apologized for past comments he made on a podcast he hosted between 2013 and 2014. (JB Lacroix/WireImage)

Richards went on to explain the context of his comments within his podcast before acknowledging his "obligations as a role model" to do better. 

"The podcast was intended to be a series of irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around. Even with the passage of time, it's more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes," the statement continued. "My responsibilities today as a father, husband, and a public personality who speaks to many people through my role on television means I have substantial and serious obligations as a role model, and I intend to live up to them."

Representatives for Sony Pictures Entertainment had no comment when reached by Fox News.

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The Ringer uncovered some of the more alarming clips from Richards’ time on the podcast’s 41 episodes in a comprehensive report. Several include him making derogatory comments about his co-host and former assistant, Beth Triffon, such as disparaging her body and appearance. He also was found to have used slurs for people with mental disabilities and little people. Richards also discussed places like Haiti and the unemployment system in America in a way that was derogatory to the poor. 

Episodes of "The Randumb Show" were removed from their original platform earlier this week after the clips resurfaced from The Ringer. His apology marks the second time he’s had to address something from his past since he emerged as the front-runner for the permanent replacement for Alex Trebek on "Jeopardy!"

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More than a decade ago, while Richards was at "The Price Is Right," he was the subject of a 2010 complaint by Brandi Cochran, a former model on the show, who claimed she was fired after becoming pregnant with twins while he served as co-executive producer. Cochran obtained more than $8.5 million in punitive damages.

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Last week Richards was confirmed by Sony Pictures Entertainment as the new permanent host of "Jeopardy!" following the death of Trebek in November 2020.